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Andrew Grant recommended In the Woods (Dublin Murder Squad #1) in Books (curated)

 
In the Woods (Dublin Murder Squad #1)
In the Woods (Dublin Murder Squad #1)
Tana French | 2007 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry
8.2 (10 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"I’m a big fan of police procedurals, and when it comes to bringing the steps of a labyrinthine investigation to life, Tana French is up there with the very best. However, in her Dublin Murder Squad series she does so much more than this. Her exquisitely drawn characters combine to peel back the surface of modern Ireland and give us a fascinating and vivid glimpse into the culture—both good aspects and bad—that lies beneath."

Source
  
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Uptown Oracle (24 KP) rated The House of Mountfathom in Books

Jun 30, 2017  
The House of Mountfathom
The House of Mountfathom
Nigel McDowell | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Family, Adventure and Magic
Family, adventure and magic. A perfect combination for this middle grade book. The House of Mountfathom is set in Ireland during times of unrest. The Driochta, always peacekeepers, must choose a side to survive.

My favourite aspect was how alive the house felt as it was so full of magic. The House of Mountfathom seemed like another member of the family almost like it had a mind of it's own. There was so much time given to explaining the house, magic and family though, that it reduced the actual plot to the second half of the book.

The House of Mountfathom has a strong focus on family. The Mountfathom family are the protagonists of the book. The Order of Driochta are another kind of family. There's no romance subplot which was a big plus point for me.

Another thing was that the house was in Ireland. I cant think off the top of my head another book I've read based in Ireland. The introduction of both historical aspects and folklore was great. There's also a distinct discussion about class systems. The 'big houses' aka the upper class in Ireland are in trouble, including the Mountfathom house, even though they're trying to keep the peace.

A problem I had was the format seemed odd, I assume it would be best in a printed book. My kindle seemed to push everything together and it was difficult to discern between chapters. The illustrations would have also worked much better within a book. Since this was an e-ARC though, I wouldn't take that into account.

Another problem is the book doesn't seem quite finished. Understandable as Nigel McDowell passed away in February. Although the ambiguous ending does give something towards the mysterious aspect of the book as a whole.

I really enjoyed how McDowell described the hows of magic. The first part of the book follows Luke as he grows up and learns magic. The five principles are distinct in how Luke learns them. I would compare The House of Mountfathom to Lemony Snicket and Neil Gaiman's Coraline. It was a bit dark and creepy in places. Full of intrigue and magic.